Rhetoric Aside, Where Does HLF Really Go From Here? 2.19.2013

[shareaholic app="share_buttons" id="24556347"]

Investors continue to ask the question… where does Herbalife go from here?

Well, Icahn believes the answer to that question is up. In his most recent appearance on CNBC, Carl said, “I buy things I think are undervalued.” From this statement it’s clear that he’s banking on making money from being long HLF.

I know quite a few investors will take his word and get long HLF as well…but do the charts line up with Icahn’s current view? Lets check it out…

Going back to the lows made in early 2009, it looks like a clear five waves completed in April 2012 at $73. Since that high, there as been a strong reversal, but it was done so in a corrective fashion (three waves). This tells me one of two things… one being that we are going to see a strong reversal right here ($38-$44), to bring us down in a fifth wave completing near the $10-$15 region. The second being that we have bottomed at $24, and will now begin a stronger third wave up that could take a couple years to complete.

When looking at both of these possibilities, the most probable scenario that I see playing out is a third wave up. The MACD is portraying some nice positive divergence, and gives me more confidence that we will see higher levels before we see lower. My initial targets are the $55-$63 region for (iii) of 3 before we see a stronger consolidation in (iv) of 3. By year-end I could even see wave 3 ending up near $72-$80!

When putting counts on a stock, you always need to have stops that invalidate your current position. If the price action falls below the $30.73 that would be my first indication that we are in a fifth wave down, with $23.91 being the nail in the coffin for the bulls. Bulls do not want to see it below that level!!

In the long I am optimistic on Herbalife, and have to say that Carl Icahn might have snagged up a ‘diamond in the rough.’

HLF 3Day 2.18.2013

Author: Peter Nitso
pnitso@yahoo.com
Twitter: @PeterNitso

Market Refresh: Post Sandy and David Einhorn Stocks 10.31.12

[shareaholic app="share_buttons" id="24556347"]

Ford (F) reported third quarter EPS of $0.40 vs an estimated $0.30; 33% beat. Revenue came in at $30.9 billion vs an estimated $31.07B.  This was the best third quarter ever for F…mostly fueled my North America. F battled above its 150 day moving average (DMA) on 10/26/12. The 50 DMA sits at $10 even. The USA automotive sector seems to be running on all cylinders, in related news famed and feared hedge fund manager, David Einhorn, recently talked up shares of GM at the Value Investing Congress.

Mr. Einhorn also talked down shares of CMG. Here Mr. Einhorn pointed out that competition from Taco Bell, YUM, should be taking incremental share away from the higher priced CMG.  While there is no doubt in the minds of value investors, especially given the record of Greenlight Capital (Mr. Einhorn’s Fund), he is correct…the technical picture is what some traders will be looking at however.  CMG is quickly approaching the earnings gap day open, more specifically 10/19/12’s open of $251.95. Perhaps a close above this figure could trigger short covering into said gap, just as a trade, for the market has been favoring the shorts for some time now…and when most are leaned to one side of the boat, maybe it is best to fade them…for a short while.

Another controversial stock has been HLF. Here Mr. Einhorn appropriately pointed out some items of interest during their conference call, and since then the stock has tumbled 28%. HLF released earnings while the market was closed. HLF guided FY13 EPS $4.40-$4.55 vs $4.52 estimated and guided Q4 EPS $0.97-$1.01 vs $0.98 estimated. For Q3 HLF reported $1.04 vs $1.01 and revenue of $1B vs $996M. Management pointed out double-digit volume growth in all their geographic locations, but it will be interesting to see what the stock actually does considering all this news and HLF’s short interest (14%).

Feel free to e-mail any comments, feedback, suggestions, or general inquiries to…

Author

mark@keeneonthemarket.com

Unusual Option Activity 10.2.2012

[shareaholic app="share_buttons" id="24556347"]

Paper bought 2,000 CHL Jan 52.5 Puts, 57.5 Calls Strangle (8.7 times usual volume) was trading $55.36

Paper bought 2300 LEAP Jan 10 Calls for $.83 (9.7 times usual volume) when trading $7.86

Paper bought 5496 ARO Oct 13 Puts for $.55 (11.8 times usual volume when stock was trading $12.92